從十一章到本書結束，作者的焦點集中在上帝父親般的愛，當他們還在埃及為奴時，上帝就以這愛召喚他們。作者還用了許多美麗的圖畫來描繪這愛，譬如父親溫柔地教孩子怎麼走路。上帝沒有用重軛來加重其負擔，倒是放鬆他們兩鰓夾板，使他們容易順服跟從祂，還隨時供應他們日用之需（11：1~4）。當他們長大時，應該了解上帝所做在他們身上的。但是他們竟是以不尊重、不感謝來回報上帝，拒絕歸向上帝，背道離開祂。雖然他們的行逕令上帝十分傷痛，上帝秉其公平的性格要審判他們，因為「上帝非人，祂說話豈不照著行呢？」（參民23：19），但祂的慈愛也是大過於人的愛（參撒下24：14）。雖然以色列應被滅絕，上帝並未發盡祂的忿怒（如果那樣，他們恐將自地上消失了）。祂保留了一些忠心的餘民，而且當祂帶著大能回來時，這些人就要帶著謙卑懼怕的心來就近祂（彌賽亞），祂也要賜給他們永恆的基業（11：10~11）。

        何西阿在第十二章中，又在譴責以色列那說謊、詭詐的光景。何西阿回想起他們的先祖雅各（即「詭詐」），如何欺騙了哥哥以掃及父親以撒（創27章）。然而，雅各畢竟還是求得了上帝的賜福（創28；32：24~29），但他的後代卻沒有相同的渴求。何西阿勸他們也要像雅各一樣，把名字改成「以色列」（意「上帝作王」）。只是他們一點也不配叫以色列，所以何西阿才稱他們是「狡猾的迦南人」（12：7）。以法蓮以欺壓的手段成了富人，卻一點也無罪咎感。

        上帝知道他們的行為，所以差派了先知去揭發他們的罪惡。其實，上帝這樣做，正顯出了祂的愛。祂用許多比喻、徵兆、異象去警戒人悔改，否則審判要臨到。不過，以色列人還是不信。事實上，在何西阿的時代，真正的先知常是被羞辱、取笑的對象，很多人甚至被殺害。這些可怕的罪，連同拜偶像都大大惹動主怒，他們並要遭受羞辱和流血的報應。

        十三章追憶到以法蓮（意「加倍繁茂」）年輕時，尚知尊崇上帝，上帝也藉著雅各的手祝福他超過哥哥瑪拿西（約瑟之子，參創48章）。事實上，以法蓮是次於猶大的第二大支派。但從他們拜巴力之後，他們的靈死了（13：1），拜偶像如瘟疫般傳播開來。他們再也不願回轉歸向上帝，卻一直尊崇偶像。為此，上帝令可怕的東風颳在繁茂的以法蓮上（13：15），使他們像朝露、糠枇或煙氣突然消散（13：2~3）。

        上帝藉摩西的警告和律法書上的命令，一再強調如果以色列要成為祂的子民，他們就不得有別的神，只有這位獨一的真神能解救他們（13：4；出20：1~5）。摩西還一再提醒他們，當上帝賜給他們應許之地，又使他們富足時，千萬不要忘記上帝，但這正是他們所做的（13：5~6；參申8：10~11）。然而，他們忘了一切的福分和能力皆從上帝而來。當他們向撒母耳要一個王時，上帝已洞悉他們的動機。他們想要像別的國家，有個人民的英雄可領他們打敗別人。他們拒絕上帝，而選擇人的領導（13：9~11；撒上8：5~7）。

        全書最後的警語（14章），帶給人民歸回重建的盼望。那些離棄偶像，悔改、信靠上帝的人，上帝應許使他們多結果子，喜悅並堅強－－這一切終極的應驗，將發生在彌賽亞耶穌的國裡。終結的提醒是給那些智慧人（敬畏上帝者），及殷勤的人（操練信心者），使他們行走在公義的道上－－即那磐石，主耶穌基督（14：9；參彼前2：7~8）。

        上帝啊！賜我們恩典可以為罪真正地懺悔，也赦免我們一再重覆犯罪、無力自拔。奉主耶穌基督的名，阿們！

English

        From chapter 11 to the end of the book, Hosea focuses upon the fatherly love that God has had for them since the very beginning when He called them out of bondage in Egypt. With a beautiful picture of a child with his gentle and kind father teaching him to walk, Hosea illustrates God's care and love for Ephraim (Israel). He did not burden them with heavy yokes. Rather, He made it easy for them to obey and follow Him, and all the while He provided for their every need (11:1-4). As they grew to maturity, they should have realized all that God had done for them. But their response to Him was one of ingratitude and disrespect. They refused to turn to Him (in repentance); they were "bent on backsliding". Although it grieved the heart of God to give His son Ephraim up for punishment, His justice demanded it. Since He is "God, and not man", He will not lie but will fulfill that which He has purposed (cf. Num. 23:19), yet His mercy is much greater than that of a man (cf. 2 Sam. 24:14). Although Israel deserved to be annihilated, God promised not to give them the full extent of His wrath (which would have wiped them off the face of the earth). He would preserve a faithful remnant, and at the time when He (the Messiah) comes with regal strength and might ("roar like a lion"; the second coming), they will come to Him with humility and fear, and He will give them their eternal inheritance (11:10-11).

        In chapter 12, Hosea returns to the situation of Israel in his day. He condemns them for their lies and deceitful dealings with their treaty partners. Their deceit leads Hosea to remember their forefather Jacob (meaning "deceitful") who deceived his brother Esau and his father Isaac (Gen. 27). Yet in contrast to Jacob who became honourable and pleaded with God to bless him (Gen. 28; 32:24-29), his descendants did not have that same desire. Hosea exhorted them to be like Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, meaning "prince with God". However, they did not even deserve to be called by the name of Israel, so Hosea calls Ephraim, "a cunning Canaanite!" (12:7), for the Canaanites were notorious for their deception and oppression. Ephraim had become rich through oppressive means, and yet claimed to have no guilt.

        The Lord, however, who knows and sees all, had sent His prophets to expose Israel's sins, which was actually an expression of His love for His people and a desire for them to repent. God had given parables, signs, and numerous visions to His prophets in order to warn Israel of coming judgment if they did not repent; yet they ignored the prophets' warnings. Hosea used the prophet Moses as an example of the truth and value of a prophet, for without him the nation would not be in existence. However, in Hosea's day, the true prophet was an object of reproach and ridicule, and many were even killed. This terrible sin, along with their idolatry, provoked the Lord the most, and as Hosea proclaims, they would be repaid with reproach and the penalty of bloodguiltiness (12:10, 13-14).

        In chapter 13, Hosea explains that when Ephraim (meaning "double fruitfulness") was young and humble before the Lord, he was exalted and God promised him, through Jacob, that he would be greater than his elder brother Manasseh (Joseph's other son; cf. Gen. 48). Indeed, other than the tribe of Judah, Ephraim became the largest tribe. But from the moment Ephraim worshipped Baal, they died spiritually (13:1), and like an infection, their idolatry kept spreading. When Satan gets a foothold in someone's life, it takes a miracle of God's deliverance to be set free. Ephraim, however, did not turn to God but continued to exalt their idols. Therefore, the Lord would send the dreaded east wind to dry up the once fruitful Ephraim (13:15) and cause them to disappear like the dew, chaff, or smoke (13:2-3).

        Through Moses' repeated warnings and the commandments of the Law, the Lord had stressed that if the children of Israel were to be His people, they were to have no other gods before Him. Only the true and living God could save them; there was none other (13:4; Ex. 20:1-5). Another repeated warning of Moses was that when God gave them possession of the Promised Land and blessed them with wealth, they were not to forget Him; yet this is exactly what they did (13:5-6; cf. Deut. 8:10-11). They forgot that every blessing comes from Him and that He alone is their strength. When they asked Samuel for a king, the Lord knew their motivation. It was because they wanted to be like the other nations who had a hero to lead them into battle and win wars for them. In so doing, they rejected God, choosing rather to trust in man (13:9-11; 1 Sam. 8:5-7).

        In his closing exhortation (ch. 14), Hosea gives the hope of restoration for all those who forsake idolatry, repent, and trust in God. The Lord promises to make them fruitful, pleasant, and strong — something which will be ultimately realized in the Millenial Kingdom of Messiah Jesus. The closing warning is for the wise (those who fear the Lord) and prudent (those who put their faith into practice) to walk in the ways of righteousness, which is in the Rock, the Lord Jesus (14:9; cf. 1 Pet. 2:7-8).

        Oh God, grant us the grace to be genuinely sorry for our sin, and forgive us for the times when we're only sorry for the consequences of our sin.